Automatic train-controller.



PATENTED MAY 5, 1908.

G. TORT. AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2, 1907.

.0% www@ MM AUTOMATIC rIRAIN-CONTROLLER.

Application led January 2.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 5, 1908.

1907. Serial No. 350.480.

'lh u!! 117mm it may concern:

Be it known that l, (.i'i Torr, a citizen of the l'nited States, residing in the city and county of (`amden. State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Automatic 'l`rain-(`ontroller, of which the following is a specification. v

My' invention relates to automatic. train controllers and consists of ineans for operating the air brakes automatically,should a signal be set.

lt further consists of other novel features of construction, all as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

l `igure 1 represents a partial sectional view t and partial tiagraininatic view of an automatic train controller showing a portion of the tiack. Fig. 2 represents` an elevation of a portion of the device and track with a wheel tliclcull.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corres ionding parts in the figures.

l efeiring to the drawings-'The object of my invention is to controia train in such a manner that the air brakes are set autoinatl ically without any act of the engineer or operator and is designed to prevent a train from passing a signal when it is placed at danger. but which device will notA affect the air brakes when the `signal is clear. ln the drawings l have shown a construction for ac complishing this result` but it will be evident that other instrumentalities may he employed which will o )crate successfully and l do not, therefore, tesirc to be limited in every instance to the construction as'herein shown and described, but desire to make such changes as will come within the scope of my invention.

1 designates a contact piece which is suitably connected adjacent the throttle lever 2 of the engine and the lever C5 of the air brake controller 1. it being understood that said contact piceeisifniiiyidesiigd construction or size and is connected b \"tli`e\cont-lut1or 5 with a battery (i. 'lhe air brake controller4 is of suitable construction, being provided with notches or other means to which the lever 3 is moved, in order to control the air brakes, said notches being for emergencyf servit-e," onlap."' "ruiming" and "release, the lever, in the )resent instance being shown "oiilap" and the, air brake controller is adapted to operate the air brakes in the usual manner, and as is customary, the discharge of the air in service is known to be from ten to fifteen pounds and for emergency twenty pounds.

7 designates an armor clad magneti which is connected with the 'battery 6 by the conductor S, said magnet also having the conductor 9 leading tlierefioin which is connected with a support 1t), which is secured to the engine or car and which carries the contact shoe 11 in such a manner that the same will bear against the contact piece 12, which is situated adjacent the track 13. The position ofthe contact piece l2, track 13, support 1() and shoe ll will be best understood rom Fig. 2, it being noted that the Contact piece 12 is carried by the `sulpport 14 which is insulated from the main rai and which has a conductor 15 connected therewith which is connected with a switch 16, between which and-the track 13 is a conductor 17, it being understood that said switch 16 isin suitable connection with the signal and is so arranged that when the signal is clear" the switch 16 is open, but when the signal is at danger t the said switch 16 is closed, for reasons as t will be hereinafter described.

The contact piece 1 l is vieldingly heldin the proper posi tion by a spring ltand is pivota ly mounted upon the support. 10.y 'lhe armor clad niagnet may be, if desired, constructed or designed in any manner which will accomplish the work and in the drawings I have shown one forni which is particularly adapted for work of this character and which is provided with two armatures 19 and 20,'19 in the present instance being a small armature which is provided with a contact point 21.

As here shown the contact point 21 is located adjacent tlie binding post 21', suitably mounted upon the magnet 7, and to which binding post a branch 22 leads from the conductor 9, so that as soon as the contact 11 closes the main circuit through the conductors ts' and t1, the battery t5, conductor 5, to the ground, it will be clear that the magnet will be energized. In order 4that the circuit in which this magnet is included may eiieregize the same an appreciable length of time to operate the automatic brake cont-rol, a second or auxiliary armature 19 is provided which is adapted to respond to a very small energization of the magnet and thereby bring its contact 21 into engagement with the 'engineer-or operator and that the train will binding post 21. The engagement of thel binding post jand contact 21 immediately forms a' second circuit in which the contact 11 is not included, the same running from the battery 6 through the conductor 8, magnet 7', branch 22, binding post 21', contact 21 to armature 19 and thence by wa r of the frame of the locomotive to the controller 4 or throttle lever 2 and back to the battery by the conductor 5. It will be apparent that by this double armature I am enabled to obtain a controlling apparatus which is very sensitive and res onds to the slightest contact which may e made when a danger point exists. In previous devices operating along this same line, the operation of the controlling mechanism has not been at all sure in viewof the fact that the moving contact is usually going at such a high velocity that it does not make a suiiiciently lon contact with the stationary contact to pro uce operation of the mechanism.

A spring 23, having one end in suitable connection with the stationary part of the casing of the magnet is connected with the small armature 19 to hold the same in normal position* In regard to the parts hereinbefore described, it will be noted, when the throttle lever 2 of the engine or the lever 3 of the air brake controller are in running position or in the osition seen in Fig. 1, t iat either or both oi) these levers are connected to a ground 5 on the engine frame and are in contact with the contact pil and as the engine or train moves the shoe 11 will contact with one of the contact pieces 12, a number of which are situated at suitable points alo the track with res )ect to the slgnals, and 1f the signal with w lich the shoe contacts is clear, as before stated, the switch 16 is open so that no current isformed, although the shoe 11 will contact with the contact piece 12, as before stated. Should, however, the'signal be at danger, the switch 16 is closed and as the shoe 11 strikes the contact piece 12 a complete circuitwill be formed, from the levers 2 and 3 throu h the conductors 5 and 8, battery 6 an( magnet 7, through the conductor 9, shoe 11, contact piece 12, conductors 15 and 17 and switch 16 to the rail or track 13 then by ground 5 to levers 2 and 3. This immediately energizes the magnet 7 and actuates the armatures and the air brakes will be automatically set by means thereof, actuated by the armatures, said means bein hereinafter descrihethv it being understood, iowevelj, tl1atti1iso :Y cursuwltheut Vanydeletion/BnY the part of the thus be automatically stopped should the signal be at dangen but it the signal is clear no action of the device will take place, so that the air brake will not be set and the movement' of the train will not be aiected. p

The armature 20 controls a valve stem 24, which carriesi the valve 24X for the port 25 in the casing and also carries a pin valve 25 adzpted to close the port 26 in the casing27, sai pin valve havin a s ring 28 acting thereupon, for normalf holding the same in position, and said port 26 forming communication between the chamber 29 and the air supply passage 30, which leads to a suitable reservoir containing air. When the valve 25 is closed, however, the air cannot pass through the port 26 but when the said valve 25 is raised from its seat by the amiature 2U the air immediately passes through the port 26 into the chamber 29 where it acts upon the face ofa piston 31 movable in said chamber 29, and which has connected therewith the rod 32, the latter passingl through a suitable stuffing box 33 and having connected ,therewith a second piston 34 which is movable in a chamber 35, which is filled with a suitable fluid 36. The wall of the casing 27 is provided with a passage 37, adjacent the chamber 35, and has a port 38 therein form'- ing a communication between one end of the chamber 35 and said passage 37, and in said passa e is a valve seat 39 which is opened and close by a controller or valve 40, which serves to regulate or control the amount of fluid passing through said passage 37, it being noted thatr said passage 37 has a port forming a communication between the same and the chamber 35 on the op osite side of the piston 34 from that with w lich the port 38 communicates. It will be seen in this manner that as the piston 31 moves to the right from its position seen in Fig. 1, that it will carr with it the piston 34 which forces out the uid 36 from the chamber 35, through the port 38 into the passage 37 and from thence through the port 41 in the chamber 35 to the opposite side of the piston 34, it being noted that the amount of fluid passing through said passage 37'can be controlled by the controller 40 so that the speed with which the iston `34 moves can be regulated and be quicier or slower, as desired.

In order that the fluid 36 can return to itsI former place in the chamber 35, that is in front of the )iston 34, a check valve 42 is providedhin the piston 34, it being noted that. on the forward stroke, that is to the right ol` its osition seen in Fig. l, the check valivc 42 is c osed, but that wheuthe piston 34 nieves rearwar lly,er to the left, the fluid which has Ymeanwhile passed to the rear of said piston 34, forces open the check valve 42 and the fluid passes to the front of the piston 34 into the position seen in Fig. 1. The rod 32 passes through 'a stufiing box and has connected therewith at its outer end a piston valve44, which valve is provided with a passage 45 communicating with the port 46 of the casing, which is connected in any/suitable manner with the engine brake valve., and said passage being adapted to register, when I the parts are in their normal position, with a passage 47 in the casing 48 carried by or conl nected with the casing 27, said passage 47 I communicating with a chamber 49 in which I is situated a valve 5U upon which acts the spring 51, so that it will be seen that the air l tromthe engine brake valve in the normal l position of the parts, passes through the l passage 45 and passage 47 and into the chamber 4) upon the left side of the piston 50, so that the pressure of the air, together 1 with the action of the spring 51, the valve 50, i is held in the position seen in Fig. l, b v l means of the fac-t that a passage 52, in suitable connection with the engine brake valve, communicates with the chamber 4S) upon the l right hand side of the valve 5t), but the presg sure from the engine brake valve upon this side being not sufficient to overcome the pressure of the air and the spring 5l on-V the left. side of the valve 5() until the air pressure on the left side is relieved. Them however, the piston valve 44 moves to theright in the ligure, communication is cutotl' from the passage 47, preventing air from passing therethrough and-.the air will pass through the passage 52and will move the valve 5() to the left, overcoming the tension of the spring 5t, so that the air can pass through the port 53, which is connected with a whistle or other indicator, and operates the same. The piston valve 44 is also pro\'ided"with the port 54 which is normally closed, as seen in Fig. l, but when the valve 44 is moved to the right in the figure the said port` which is of suitable extent, will form a communication between the passages and 56 in the casing. The passage communicates with a port 57 in suitable connection with the train line of the air brake, so that when the port 54 is moved into proper position the air from the train line will pass through the passage 55, port 54, to the passage 56, which communicates with the chamber 5N, from which leads the passage 59, so that the air from the train line will be discharged and the air brakes will be immediately set, and the train is brought to a standstill, it being noted that in the chamber 5R is the valve seat 6() for the valve 6], which is actuated by a spring 6'. and said valve 5l carries a piston 63 in a chamber 64, which b v giving the right tension can be made to actuate at any release of ressure desired.

Having thus descri )ed mv invention, what l claim as new anddesire to secure b v Letters Patent, iszi l. In a device of the character described, a throttle lever, a contact in the path thereof, a second contact for closing a circuit when a danger condition exists, means for maintain'- ing said circuit closed and means actuated bv the current in the circuit for 'setting the air l brakes.

throttle lever, a contact normally engaged b v said lever in running position, a second contact for closing a circuitwhen a danger condition exists, means for maintaining said circuit closed and means actuated by the currentin the circuit for setting the air brakes.

3. ln a device of the character described, a contact piece adapted to be in contact with the air brake cont-roller lever or the throttle lever, means for closing the circuit when the signal is set at danger, and means actuated by the current in the circuit for setting the air brakes.

4. ln a device of the character described. a throttle lever, a controller level', a contact located in the path of said levers, means for closing a circuit when a danger condition exists, and means actuated by a current in the circuit for setting the air brakes.

In a device ol' the character described, a throttle lever, a controller level', a contact located in the path of said levers. a magnet, means tor closing a circuit including said magnet, and means actuated by said magnet for controlling the air brakes.

(i. In a device of the character described, a. magnetfmeans tor closing the circuit con nected with saidA magnet, a valve controlled h v said armature adapted to be open for permitting the passage of air therethrough, a. piston actuated b v said air pressure, and fluid means for regulating the movement of said piston. i

7. ln a device of the character described, a magnet, means for closing the circuit in which said magnet is situated, an armature for said magnet, a valve suitably connected with said magnet and adapted to be opened to permit passage of air therethrough, a is'- ton upon which said air pressure acts, a t uid acted upon by said iiston, and means for regulating the flow oi said tluid to regulate movement of said piston.

ln a device ot the character described, a magnet, means for closing the circuit in which said magnet is situated, an armature for said magnet, a valve suitablyr connected with said magnet' and adapted to be opened to permit passage of air therethrough, a piston upon which said air pressure acts, a tiuid acted u on by `said iston, means for regulating t ie flow of sald fluid to regulate the movement of said piston, and means for permitting the return of the' fluid to its normal position.

9. In a device of the character described, a magnet, means for closing the circuit in which said magnet is suitated, an armature for said magnet, a valve suitably connected with said magnet and adapted to be opened to permit passage of air therethrough, a piston upon which said ail' pressure acts. a lluid acted u )on by said piston, means for regu- ;2. ln a device ofthe characterdescribed, a. lating t te llow of said tluid to regulate the movement of said piston, and a valve in said piston for permittlng the fluid to return to its normal position.

10. In a device of the character described, a magnet, means for closing the circuit 'in which said magnet is situated, a valve controlled by said magnet and when open permitting passage of air therethrough, a piston acted upon by said air pressure, a valve carried by said piston and controllingl the air brake svstem, a valve situated between said air bralre system and the exhaust, an indicator controlled by said air brake system valve, and a valve between the said indicator 'and said air brake system valve.

l1. In a device of the character described, a throttle lever, a contact located in the path of said lever, a magnet, means for closing a circuit including said magnet, auxiliary means for retaining said magnet energize( land means actuated by said magnet for controllin the air brakes.

12. n a device of the character described, a throttle lever, a contact located in the path of said lever, a magnet, a plurality of armatures therefor, means for mclosing a circuit includingsaid magnet, and means actuated by said magnet for controlling the air brakes.

13. In a device of the character described, a throttle lever, a contact located in the path of said lever, a magnet, means for closing a circuit including said ma net, an armature ada ted to -close a secon( circuit including saidp magnet, and a second armature actuated by said magnet for controlling the air brakes. A

GUY TOFT. Witnesses:

JOHN A. WIEDERSHEIM, l (l. D. MoVAY. 

